Vacuum-jar opener



' A. W. STEVENSON.

VACUUM JAR OPENER.

APPLICATION FILED NOV-13. 1918.

1,361,639, Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALBERT W. STEVENSON, OF CANANDAIGUA, NEW YORK.

VACUUM-JAR OPENER.

I Application filed November 13, 1918.

. and useful Improvements in Vacuum-Jar Openers, of which the followingis a specification.

The purpose of the invention is to provlde an implement for attaching orremoving the caps of preserving jars. The implement is particularlydesigned for use to raise the jar cap from the rubber sealing band toadmit air from the outside into the jar so as to equalize the airpressure both in and outside of the jar after which the cap may bereadily removed by the implement. The means for breaking the rubber sealare movable into and out of operative position so that when it is notdesired to use the same they may be moved out of the way when theimplement may be used for the purpose of turning the ar cap. I

To the exact construction in which it is shown and described, theinvention is not to be restricted. The right is reserved to make suchchanges or alterations as the actual reduction to practice may suggest,in so far as such changes or alterations are compatible in spirit withthe annexed claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a plan view of the improved tool with the seal breakingelements in their operative positions and their inoperative positionsshown in dotted lines.

Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 33 of is shown, the invention comprisestwo combined jaw and handle elements each formed with a semi-circular awl terminating in the handle 2. The two elements are pivotally connectedtogether by means of a pin or stud 3 which interconnects the two jaws 1at their ends. On their inner edges the jaw elements are roughened byknurling or corrugating thus providing the gripping faces 4. Pivotallymounted on each jaw 1 adjacent the point where it connects with thehandle 2, there is a lever 5 which is disposed in a slot formed in thejaw and carries at its free end a wedge 6 of semi-elliptical shape inplan and of tapering thickness Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Dec. 7, 1920.

Serial No. 262,337.

from its point to its line of juncture with the lever. The levers 5 maybe swung on their pivotal connection 8 so that the wedges 6 may beplaced over the handles 2 or these levers may be swung back to abut theslanting ends 7 of the slots in which positions the wedges projectbeyond the gripping edges 4.

In the use of the tool, the wedges 6 are designed to engage underneathof or on top of the rubber sealing band commonly employed in conjunctionwith preserving jars. In preserving jars which contain fruit there ismore or less of vacuum and, if the tool be placed around the jaradjacent the cap so that the wedges 6 may engage the rubber sealingband, the pressure exerted on the handles 2 to force the same towardeach other will force the wedges in underneath the cap and thereby raisethe same enough to permit the outside air to find its way into the jar,thus equalizing the pressure inside and outside of the jar. After thiscondition obtains, the levers 5 may be swung back to the position shownin the dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the gripping edges 4 made to engagethe periphery of the cap of the jar by pressure exerted on the handlestending to force them toward each other. The imparting of an angularmovement to the tool as a whole will then serve to remove the cap of thejar easily.

In attaching the jar cap the tool is intended to be used in the same Wayas in un screwing or removing the cap.

The invention having been described what is claimed as new and usefulis:

A tool of the character described comprising a pair of combined jaw andhandle elements pivotally connected together, and a lever pivotallymounted on the jaw portion of each element, the lever being formed atone end with a laterally projecting wedge member, each jaw portionhaving an abutment against which the lever may engage to cause thewedges to project beyond the jaws, the levers being swingable topositions over the handle portions of the elements, whereby the devicemay be used to initially raise the cap of a preserving jar andthereafter remove the same by clamping the cap between the jaw portionsof the two said ele-

